Electrical cannon



Dec. 22, 1931. w. 1.. KAEHNT'ETAL ELECTRIGAL CANNON Filed March 10, 1930 Patented' Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM L. xannm am) rm: 3'. mm, or CLEVELAND, onro :ELECTRIGAL CANNON" Application filed March 1c, 1930. Serial No. 434,545.

This invention relates to an electrically actuated gun, which may be operated by the usual household alternating currents.

It is an object of our invention to provide an electric projecting means capable of discharging relatively large projectiles at various angles of elevation or direction with sufiicient velocity so that they will travel several yards. p

1 Another object of our invention is to provide a cannon such that efiicient projection of the projectile to predetermined polnts or targets is dependent mostly on the skill of the operator, though with an element of chance over which the operator has no control.

Another object of our invention is to obtain these effects by a relatively inexpensive and durable gun and projecting means which is ca able of economical quantity production.

Ot er objects and advantageso our invention will become apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the drawings by the use of numerals.

In the drawings,--

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a to cannon embodying our invention;

Flg. 2 is a partial plan view of the cannon shown in Fig. 1

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate projectiles suitable for use with such a toy cannon.

The form of our invention illustrated in the drawings includes a gun mounted in a yoke or carrier 2 and secured thereto by lugs 3 in such manner that the gun may be elevated or depressed. The carrier 2 is mounted on a block 4 which is preferably of fibre or nonconducting material, by means of a screw or pivot 5; so that it is free to be turned horizontally in any direction. The operating mechanism of-the gun includes a soft iron core 10 which may be formed by binding together a number of short sections of soft iron wire. The core is enclosed in a sleeve 11, preferably of fibre. However, a longitudinally slitted metal sleeve may be used. On the core, near one end is wound a coil 12 of insulated copper wire or other electrical conductor. The ends of this wire are connected to suitable lead wiresso. 13, which, in turn, connect the coil to'a suitpoint contact type may be mounted in the able source of electrical energy such as a household electrical wall socket oxidight fixture. 1

For completing such a connection tli edgad wires 13 may be provided with the usual cii' or plug, not shown, adapted to screw or pus into a wall socket. For opening and closing the circuit, a switchof the usual knife or lock 4. The contact parts of the switch are covered with a plate 15 of metal or fibre to protect them and the operator.

The switch lever 16, extending through the plate 15 as illustrated, is provided to ac tuate the switch. As an additional protection a spring 17 may be provided to throw the switch to its normal open position when it is not held in operating contact by the o erator. The ends of the coil may be hel in place by fibre washers, such as 18, which with the sleeve 11 form a reel or spool.

A gun which may be manufactured econom'ically includes a chamber 19 closed at one end b a cap 20. This chamber is large enoug to receive the coil 12, which is secured therein and extends axially thereof. The housing and cap ma be made from fibre or metal stampings. owever, if metal is used, the cap and housing should be slit as at 21 and'22, so that eddy currents and induced currents will not be set up in them by the action of the coil. I

A. threaded pin 23 passin through an opening in the cap and screwe into one end of the iron core 10 may be used for holding the coil and core in position. A shoulder 24 1s provided on the pin 23 so that the core and ca are clam ed tightly together. The other eng' 0 the c amber 19 ma be closed by the washer 18 on the core. he core is consider- 9 ably longer'than the coil and extends beyond the coil, and with the sleeve 11 forms a solidinsulated barrel. To provide a longer path for better directin the projectile, the sleevemay extend beyon the core as illustrated.

For appearance it is desirable to have the projectile thrown out, from a gun barrel, in which case a hollow fibre barrel 25 may be provided. This barrel and the sleeve are spaced apart to form an annular passage large enough to permit passage of the projectile therebetween. Such a barrel may be mounted on an annular shoulder 26 formed on the walls of the housing of the chamber 19. The coil should have sufiicient turns or loops so that a stepdown transformer is not required when the gun is used in connection with the ordinary 110 volt, 60 cycle alternating current. The projectiles 27 and 28-comprise annular rings or cylinders of conducting material;'such as aluminum. Their inside diameters are large enough so that they will slip loosely over the sleeve 11 as illustrated in Fig. 1. By varying the thickness of the walls and the length of the projectiles, different discharge Velocities can be obtained.

When the switch is thrown completing the circuit through the coil, a magnetic field is set up in and about the core, and a current is induced in the projectile (which sets up an opposing field). As a result, the projectile is propelled by the forces of the opposing fields and thrust away from the coil at sufficient velocity to cause the projectile to travel several yards from the gun. The in tensi-tyof the field thus created varies somewhat, depending upon the instantaneous value of the electromotive force at the time of closing the circuit. This variation is sufiicient to cause a difference in the velocity at which the projectile is discharged and introduces an element of, chance into firing the gun at targets of predetermined positions.

While we have described our invention asembodied in a toy gun, obviously it may easily be. adapted for use with trench mortars or other short range field pieces. For such purposes it has the advantage of discharging without any 'fiash, so that position would be diflicult for observers to locate. When so used a larger coil and higher voltage could be used satisfactorily.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A projectile discharging means, including a coil of insulated electrical conductor, an iron core within said coil passing through an axially aligned with said coil and extending beyond said coil, an annular metallic projectile surrounding said core and slidable along it, means to operativelyconnect said coil with a source of alternating, electrical current, whereby said projectile is driven along and oif from said coreat suflicient velocity to travel a substantial distance from said coil and a hollow barrel surrounding coil whereby said projectile is repelled by said coil and driven axially ofi' fromsaicl sleeve.

3. A cannon, comprising a housing and hollow barrel, an electrical coil mounted in said housing, a soft iron core mounted in .said coil and extending beyond said coil through said barrel, a sleeve on said iron core extending beyond the end thereof, a metallic annulus slidable axially on said sleeve, means to operatingly connect said coil with a source of alternating current whereby said projectile is discharged from said cannon, means permitting elevating or depressing said cannon and means to change the horizontal angle of discharge whereby the direction of discharge of said projectile may be controlled.

4. A cannon including a coil and a metal core extending within said coil, a. projectile comprising a short circuited coil, .said projectile surrounding said core and being slidabl'e axially relative thereto, and means connecting said first mentioned coil to a source of alternating electric current whereby said projectile is driven off from said core with sufficient velocity to travel a substantial distance from said coil and the first mentioned core.

5. A cannon including a coil and-a metal core within said coil, a projectile comprising a short circuited coil adapted to be slid over said core and surrounding the same when so positioned, means for connecting and disconnecting said first mentioned coil with a source of electric current for causing induced current in said short circuited coil whereby it is repelled by the first mentioned coil and driven away from said cannon.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto atfix our signatures.

WILLIAM L. KAEHNI. FRANK J. KAEHNI.

and spaced from said core permitting passage of said-projectile between said core and said barrel.

2. A cannon, comprising a housing, a coil 6 within said coil and extending beyond said 

